Atomizer



Sept. 23, 1947. Q'L, KlLLoRlN 2,427,912

ATOMIZER Original Filed March 27, 1941 INVENT/ 0R. FRANC/5 o'L. /f/LoR//v BY MM.

A TTOR/VEY Patented Sept. 23, 1947 ATOMIZER Francis OL. Killorin, Watertownz vNzisusignor to Scovill Manufacturing Company, Waterbury, Conn.,'a corporation of Connecticut Original application March 27, 1941, Serial No.

385,412. Divided and this application Novemher 14, 1941, Serial No. 419,105

9 Claims.

This application is a division of the corresponding application of Francis OL. Killorin and Donald L. Spender, Serial No. 385,412, filed March 2'7, 1941.

This invention relates to atomizing heads adapted to be applied to containers and particularly to devices of this character which are formed of a limited number of parts that are simple in construction and economical to produce and assemble.

y The present invention is in certain respects a modication of and an improvement upon the construction shown and described in the copending application of Donald L. Spender, Serial No. 384,311, filed March 20, 1941. In the latter device a compressible device, such as a rubber bulb, is substantially closed by a disc which has an opening therein through which air passes when the bulb is compressed or expanded. A valve member located beneath the disc and adjacent the opening therein is actuated by air passing through the opening to control the flow of liquid from the container and to a mixing chamber.

In accordance with the present invention the functions of the valve member and disc of the Spender device are performed by an imperforate flexible diaphragm and resilient means, such as a metal strip, which bears against the diaphragm and causes the diaphragm itself to operate as a Valve member. The construction of the elements is thus simplified and the valve member is actuated in a manner which prevents accidental leakage or evaporation of liquid during shipping or storage of the container and when the device is not in use.

Another feature of the present invention resides in the provision of novel means for forming channels through which air and liquid are passed to a mixing chamber and discharge port or atomizing aperture in an atomizing head.

The principal objects of the present invention are to provide an atomizing head for containers which is simple in construction and economical to produce, and one which embodies valve means which are yieldably urged into position to prevent the evaporation or accidental leakage of liquid from the container when the device is not in use.

These and other objects and features of the present invention will appear from the following description of the preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated in the figures of the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sefctional vi'ew of a typical atonii'zng Ahead embodying -our invention;

Fig. 2 is a top 'plan view of the device illustrated in Fi'g. 1 'with 'partthereof broken away;

Fig'. 3 is anxploded viW of the device illustat'ed iii Fig. `1 with the parts arranged in their' positions for' assembly, and

Fig. '4 isfa vertical sectional view of the construction 'illustrated i' Fig. 1, 'taken on 'the line 4-4 thereof. v

In that forni oi the 'invention chosen as illustiative thereof 'and "shown 'in the drawing, a retaining m`e1`nb'er`2 vis forrr'ied with a lower portion 4 fior engagement with the Vneck of a containers. The upper .portion 'f- 'th'e retaining member preferably is larger in diameter than vthe portion 4 and is 'designed to receive the' atofiiizing elements of the' device. A'dscha'rg Opening i0 is 'formed 'in the Vvvall of ythe upper portion 8 and may be sealed b'y a clip' l2. such as that shown and described in the eri-pending application of LeRoy P. Root, Serial No. 360,789, iile'd October 11,1940'. .A v

The portions 4 and '8 of the retaining member 2 are connected by a shoulder I4 upon which rests a washer |16 formed of cork or other material. This washer serves to seal the space between the neck of the container and 4a valve cup IB which rests upon the u'pper surface of the washer. The central portion of the'c'up' I8 is formed with 'an opening 20ffronf1 which a neck 22 extends vdown'- ward to receive 'aj rubber connecting member 24. A tu'be 26 formed of glass vor other suitable material extends into the conne/ctingrmember V24 and communicates with the `opening 20 for conducting liquid from the container tothe cup i8.

The upwardly extending wall 28 of the cup I3 is formed with an atomizing aperture or discharge port 30 which is located adjacent the discharge opening l0 in the wall of the upper portion 8 `of the retaining member 2. The' aperture 30 in the cup is accurately positioned with respect to the discharge opening I0 in the portion 8 of the retaining' member by suitable means such asthe inwardly extending projection 32 in the wall of the retaining member and the cooperating indexing recess 34 Yin the wall 28 of the cup I8. c

Within the cup i8 is located an imperforate nexlble diaphragm 36. The lower surface of the diaphragm engages the upper surface of the base 3B o'f the ,cup except in that portion thereof adjacent the ato'mizing aperture 30. In the latter Varea the` diaphragm is spaced from the base of the cup by suitable means to form a liquid receiving chamber 40. The chamber between the base of the cup and the lower surface of the diaphragm communicates with the central opening 28 in the cup I8 when the diaphragm moves to the raised position, shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, so that liquid may be drawn from the container through the tube 26 and opening 20 to the liquid receiving chamber 40. However, when the diaphragm 36 is depressed at the center, as shown in full lines in Fig. 1, it serves to seal the opening 20 in the cup I8 and prevents accidental loss or evaporation of liquid from the container.

In that form of the invention illustrated, the center of the diaphragm is urged downward to its sealing position by resilient means which also are provided with a portion for holding the edge of the diaphragm, adjacent the atomizing aperture in the cup, in spaced relation to the base of the cup to form the liquid receiving chamber 48. The means provided for this purpose are shown in Fig. 3 as a generally U-shaped strip 42 formed of flexible metal. The strip is positioned about the edge of the diaphragm 36, as shown in Fig. 1, with the shorter, lower leg 44 thereof disposed beneath the diaphragm and in engagement with the base 38 of the cup to form the liquid receiving chamber 48 extending about the sides and end of the strip. The base 46 of the strip extends upward adjacent the edge of the diaphragm, and the longer upper leg 48 of the strip extends inward adjacent the upper surface of the diaphragm. The portion 58 of the leg 48 which extends inward beyond the end of the lower leg 44 is inclined downward and bears against the center of the diaphragm to urge it toward the opening 20 in the Valve cup I3.

The outer face of the base 46 of the valve strip 42 is fiat, and as shown in Fig. 2, the edges of the base engage the inner arcuate surface of the wall portion 28 of the valve cup at 5I while the central portion of the base is spaced from the inner surface of the cup. The structure thus provides :a mixing chamber 52 adjacent the atomizing aperture 30 to which liquid may flow from the liquid receiving chamber 48 through the passages 54 on opposite sides of the inturned lower leg 44 of the strip, as shown in Fig. 4.

The upper leg 48 of the valve strip is formed with a slot 56 which extends from a point near the downwardly inclined end 58 to a point adjacent the aperture 38 in the wall 28 of the cup I8. The slot 56 further extends through the downwardly turned base 46 of the strip so that it provides a passage for conducting air to the mixing chamber 52 for atomizing the liquid which flows to the mixing chamber through the passages 54 from the liquid receiving chamber 40.

A compressible device, such as a hemiphercal rubber bulb 58, is located within the cup I8 above the diaphragm 36 and is substantially closed by the diaphragm. The edge of the bulb is formed with a marginal bead 6E) having a lower surface 62 which bears against the upper surface of the diaphragm and holds it in engagement with the cup. A recess 64 is formed in the bulb surface 62 to provide a clearance for and to receive the leg 48 of the valve strip 42, thus precluding the possibility of the material of the bulb bead 68 being crowded into and obstructing the slot 56 of the strip 42. Two nibs 3l are struck inwardly of the wall 28 of the cup I8, one on each opposite side of the atomizing aperture 30. These nibs are adapted to engage opposite edges of the v erly orienting the slot 56 therein in relation to the atomizing aperture 38. The bulb is held in place within the cup by the inturned upper edge 86 of the portion 8 of the retaining member which extends inward over the bead 68 on the bulb. The atomizing elements of the device are thus held in place within the cup I8, whereas the head itself may be secured to the container 6 by suitable means such as the inturned lower end 68 of the lower portion 4 of the retaining member.

In order to prevent the creation of a vacuum within the container when liquid is drawn therefrom the device may be provided with any suitable type of venting means. As illustrated the lower surface of the base 38 of the cup I8 is formed with a groove 'I8 which extends from a point near the center of the cup to the periphery thereof adjacent the atomizing aperture 3i). Thus air may pass from the discharge opening lil in the upper portion of the retaining member, through the space 'I2 between the retaining member and cup I8 to the groove 10, and thence to the interior of the container.

The elements of the device may be assembled very readily by first dropping the washer I6 into the upper portion B of the retaining member 2 and against the shoulder I4. Thereafter the cui) I8 is placed on the washer in the position determined by the projection 32 on the retaining members and indexing recess 34 in the wall of the cup. The valve strip 42 is then slipped over the edge of the diaphragm 36 and placed in the cup i8 with the slot 56 in the base of the valve strip adjacent the atomizing aperture 30 in the wall 28 of the cup. The bulb 58 is then placed within the cup with the recess 64 in the lower surface of the bead 60 fitting over the upper leg 4S of the valve strip and the parts are secured together and in place by turning the upper extremity 36 of the portion 8 of the retaining inember inward over the bead 6D on the bulb. The device itself is then applied or affixed to the container by means of the lower portion 4 of the retaining member. If threaded the device is simply screwed into place and if permanently attached the extremity of the lower portion may be turned inward about a bead on the neck of the container, as shown.

The operation of the device described is extremely simple. When the bulb 58 is depressed air is expelled from the air space 'I4 in the lnterior thereof through the slot 56, mixing chamber 52 and atomizing aperture 30 in the cup I8 and discharge opening I0 in the portion 8 of the retaining member. On release of the bulb 5i! it expands due to its inherent resiliency and draws air in thro-ugh the aperture 38 and slot 56. At the same time the reduced pressure in the bulb raises the diaphram 36 to the dotted line position of Fig. l, against the action of the flexible valve strip 42, and thereby causes the liquid to be drawn upward through tube 26 to the liquid receiving chamber 4S between the diaphragm and the cup and about the end and sides of the lower leg 44 of the valve strip. When the bulb 58 reaches a fully expanded position it no longer tends to raise the diaphragm 35 and as a result the end 5G of the upper leg 48 depresses the center of the diaphragm and holds it in sealing engagement with the opening 2U in the cup I8.

Thereafter when the bulb 58 is depressed again it not only forces air from the air space I4 within the bulb through the slot 56 in the valve strip to the mixing chamber 52, but also depresses the portion of the diaphragmf which forms the upper wall of the liquid receiving chamber. In this way, the 'diaphram is forced into engagement with the base 38 of the cup i3 to seal the opening E@ therein and at the same time liquid is forced from the chamber id to the mixing chamber 52 through the passages 55 on opposite sides of the leg 4d of the valve strip. The air and liquid are projected into the mixing chamber in different directions so that thorough agitation and diifusion thereof is assured and they are ejected from the mixing chamber through the aperture 35i and opening i in the form of a une mist.

While the diaphragm 36 may be formed of any suitable flexible material, it has been found in practice that the best results are obtained when the diaphragm is formed of rubber. This is probably due to the inherent resiliency and elasticity of the rubber which opposes the action of the resilient valve strip or other means bearing against the center of the diaphragm. The diaphragm therefore tends to raise to the dotted line position of Fig. l immediately upon release of the bulb 58 and upon reduction in pressure on the upper surface of the diaphragm. For this reason the device is very sensitive in operation. A rubber diaphragm also opposes any tendency thereof to collapse about the sides of the leg '-i of the valve strip to close the passages 5d when liquid is being drawn into the chamber d.

It will also be apparent that the means which space the diaphragm from the cup to form the liquid receiving chamber di? and the resilient means which bear against the upper surface of the diaphragm may be formed as separate and independent elements. However, it is of advantage to form them as a unit since they are then assembled more readily and are held in cooperative relation without any supplemental means. Moreover, the construction illustrated serves to provide the desired air and liquid passages without the addition of further elements and without complicating the construction or assembly operations.

Numerous other changes and modication in the form., construction and arrangement of parts may be made within the spirit and scope of the present invention, and therefore it should be understood that the specific embodiment thereof shown in the drawing and herein described is intended to be illustrative of our invention and .is not intended to limit the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

l. In an atomizer head adapted to be applied to a container, a retaining member having a lower attaching portion for securing the head to a container and an upper wall portion connected to the attaching portion by a shoulder and having a discharge opening therein, a gasket resting upon said shoulder, an upwardly facing cup shaped member located within the wall portion of the retaining member with the bottom of the cup shaped member bearing against said gasket and with the side walls thereof formed with an atomizing orifice registering with the discharge opening in the wall portion of the retaining member, atomizing elements located within the cup shaped member and responsive to variations in air pressure for discharging liquid through said discharge opening, a compressible rubber bulb extending over the atomizing elements for actuating the same and having a marginal bead located adjacent the sides of the cup shaped member and projecting above the upper edge thereof, the upper edge of the Wall portion of the retaining member being turned inward over the marginal bead on the bulb and serving to urge said bulb against the atomizing elements to hold them in place within the cup shaped member and serving to urge the cup shaped member toward the gasket to seal the space between said gasket and shoulder and between the gasket and cup shaped member.

2. In an atomizing head adapted to be applied to a container, a retaining member having a lower retaining portion for engagement with a container and an upper wall portion with a discharge opening therein, atomizing elements held in place by the upper wall portion of the retaining member and including a compressible bulb, a cup shaped member and means enclosed by said bulb and cup shaped member and responsive to operation of said bulb for controlling flow of liquid from the container to the cup shaped member, said cup shaped member having an aperture in the side wall thereof through which air and liquid may be discharged on operation of said bulb, the lower surface of the cup shaped member bein-g formed with a groove extending from the margin of the cup shaped member to a point near the center thereof for admitting air to the container to which the head is applied, the aperture in the side wall of the cup shaped member and the outer end of said groove both being located adjacent the discharge opening in the retaining member and communicating therewith.

3. In an atomizer head adapted to be applied to a container, a retaining member formed with a lower attaching portion for securing the head to a container and an upper wall portion connected to the attaching portion by a shoulder and formed with a discharge port therein, a gasket bearing against said shoulder and positioned to seal the space between the retaining member and the container, and an atomizing element located within the wall portion of said retaining member and bearing against said gasket, said element and gasket being formed with cooperating portions forming a channel communicating with the discharge port in the retaining member and the interior of the container to admit air to the container.

4. In an atomizer head adapted to be applied to a container, a retaining member formed with a lower attaching portion for securing the head to a container, an upper wall portion of greater diameter than the attaching portion, said wall portion having an atomizing aperture therein, and connected to the attaching portion by a radially projecting shoulder located adjacent the top of the container, 'a gasket bearing against said shoulder and the top of the container to seal the space between the head and container, atomizing elements located within the wall portion of the retaining member above the gasket, said atomizing elements being formed with channels therein arranged to direct air and liquid to said atomizing aperture, a tube extending into the container and communicating with at least one of the channels in the atomizing elements, a compressible bulb extending over the atomizing elements and closing the top of the retaining memberV and communicating with another of the channels in the atomizing elements, said bulb having a bead extending about the periphery thereof and adjacent the inner surface of the wall portion of the retaining member and said retaining member having the upper edge of the wall portion thereof turned inwardly over said 7 bead and serving to urge the bulb, atomizing elements and gasket toward said shoulder to seal the space between said gasket and shoulder.

5. In an atomizing head adapted to be secured to a container, a retaining member formed with a lower retaining portion for engagement with a container and an upper wall portion connected to the retaining portion by an inwardly and upwardly facing shoulder, atomizing elements located within the wall portionof the retaining member and bearing against said shoulder with the peripheral edges of the atomizing elements located adjacent the inner surface of said wall portion, said wall portion of the retaining member having a discharge port therein and said elements having cooperating parts forming liquid and air channels terminating adjacent said discharge port, means for conducting liquid from said container to one of said channels, a bulb located above said atomizing elements and within the wall portion of the retaining member and having an air space therein communicating with another of said channels to atomize said liquid on operation of said bulb, the upper edge of the wall portion of said retaining member being turned inward over the edge of said bulb and cooperating with said shoulder to hold the bulb and atomizing elements in fixed positions withrespect to said retaining member and with respect to each other.

6. In a dispensing head adapted to be applied to a container, a retaining member having a lower attaching portion and an upper wall portion connected to the attaching portion by an upwardly facing shoulder, a compressible bulb having the edge thereof fitting within the wall portion of the retaining member, a discharge opening formed in the wall portion of the retaining member and atomizing elements located between said bulb and shoulder and cooperating with said Ibulb to cause liquid from the container to be eX- pelled through said discharge opening on operation of said bulb, the upper edge of the wall portion of said retaining member being turned inward over the edge of said bulb and cooperating with said shoulder to hold said bulb and atomizing elements in operative position with respect to each other and with respect to said discharge opening.

7. In a dispensing head adapted to be applied to a container, a retaining member having an attaching portion and a wall portion, said wall portion having a discharge opening therein, dispensing elements surrounded by said wall portion and including a member having a downwardly facing surface with a groove therein communicating with said discharge opening and extending radially inward from a point on the periphery of the member adjacent the discharge opening in the wall portion of the retaining member to a point in communication with the interior of the container and other elements located above said member and operable to withdraw liquid from the container and discharge the same through said discharge opening.

8. In an atomizing head adapted to be applied to a container, a retaining member having a lower retaining portion for engagement with a container and an upper wall portion with a discharge opening therein, a cup shaped member located within the wall portion of the retaining member and having an atomizing orifice therein registering with the discharge opening in the wall portion of the retaining member, a compressibleY bulb having its edges tting within the wall por tion of the retaining member, elements located between the bulb and the bottom of the cup shaped member and responsive to operation 0f the bulb for controlling the flow of liquid into said cup shaped member from the container and cooperating with the bulb on operation thereof for effecting the discharge of liquid from the cup shaped member through said atomizing orice and discharge opening, the inner surface of the wall portion of the retaining member adjacent said discharge opening being spaced from the outer surface of the cup shaped member adjacent said atomizing orice and a groove formed on the outer surface of the cup shaped member and extending in a substantially straight line from said space adjacent the discharge opening to a point on the cup shaped member communicating with the container for admitting air to the container on discharge of liquid therefrom.

9. In an atomizer head adapted to be applied to a container, a retaining member having a lower attaching portion for securing the head to a container and an upper wall portion connected to the attaching portion by a shoulder and having a 'discharge opening therein, a gasket resting upon said shoulder, an upwardly facing cup shaped member located within the wall portion of the retaining member with the bottom of the cup shaped member bearing against said gasket and with the side walls thereof formed with an atomizing orifice registering with the discharge opening in the wall portion of the retaining member, atomizing elements located within the cup shaped member and responsive to variation in air pressure for discharging liquid through said discharge opening, a compressible rubber bulb extending over the atomizing elements for actuating the same and having a marginal bead located adjacent the sides of the cup shaped member and projecting above the upper edge thereof, the upper edge of the wall portion of the retaining member being turned inward over the marginal bead on the bulb and serving to urge said bulb against the atomizing elements to hold them in place within the cup shaped member and serving to urge the cup shaped member toward the gasket to seal the space between said gasket and shoulder and between the gasket and cup shaped member, said cup shaped member having a groove in the bottom thereof extending in a substantially straight line from a point adjacent the discharge opening in the wall portion of the retaining member to a point communicating with the interior of the container for admitting air to the container on discharge of liquid therefrom.

FRANCIS OL. KILLORIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

